JackRussellDaily

WALKING YOUR JRT IN THE ELEMENTS

When we take or companions for a walk, in most cases the
elements only come into play with how hot or how cold the air is. Most owners do not stop to consider there are
other factors that impact your JRT that may not come to mind when you go on
your walks.

In this article, we will examine some of the issues that
arise when you take your JRT for a walk in the elements, from season to season.

The first season we will examine is summer.

There are several things to keep in mind when enjoying the
outdoors with your JRT during this time.

Best time for activity is early morning or late at night—these
are the best times of the day for the coolest weather. Keep this in
mind, especially during the hottest part of the season, and take
advantage of the cooler hours so that both you and your JRT can better
enjoy your outside activities.

Use doggie boots—JRT’s,
like most canines, absorb and expel heat through their feet. If they
are walking on the hot pavement or sidewalks, they are at risk of
absorbing significant amounts of heat, which and lead to all kinds of
health problems. The use of doggie booties will add a layer of
insulation and protection when walking on hot surfaces.

Watch for signs of dehydration—make
sure you keep an eye on your JRT for signs of dehydration. Dehydration
is a serious problem and in some case become a matter of life and
death. Always have water available during the hot months, and make sure
to take some along on your walks in case you do not have access to
any. Better to be safe than sorry.

Keep your JRT cool—other than
having water readily available, other methods of keeping your JRT cool
are: walking during the cooler hours, letting your JRT take a swim, or
taking a walk break and sitting under a shade tree.

Let your JRT dig—in nature canines dig for a
multitude of reasons: for fun, for exercise, for hunting, for making a
den to give birth—but they also dig so that they can use the earth to
keep cool. So,
on your next walk, if your JRT indicates a need to dig, allow them too.
It is their nature, and they know it is a way of cooling them off.

Stay close to home—when the temperature is
high, it is best to take a route that keeps you close to home. Short,
little walks are much better in hot weather rather than long, strenuous
walks. If you stay close to home, then when you and your JRT begin to
feel tired, and even overheated, you will not have as far to go to get
into a much cooler, relaxed environment.

The winter season can pose various problems for your JRT as well. Trim their nails—make
sure that you keep your JRT’s nails trimmed. When walking well-trimmed
nails will give your JRT more traction, and thus make their walking
experience safer. Use a backpack—a very
un-thought of but useful trick is to put a backpack on your JRT. This
will provide a slight bit of extra added incentive to not dawdle and
goof off during potty breaks. It will also help to *burn off* some of
that extra energy that the winter time months seem to produce. Check their paws—make
sure that you check all four paws very often. With the winter dry
months they have a tendency crack and become tender just like our hands
and fingers do. Also, when walking avoid areas that have been salted,
as this will aid in the drying out and cracking of the paws.

Prevent pulling—anytime you walk your JRT you want to
prevent the habit of them pulling on the leash. However, during the
winter time walks, this is even more important. If your JRT is pulling
on the leash and hits a patch of ice, the result could prove painful for
them, as well as possibly to you. Avoid pulling to begin with, for
safety sake. Wear a sweater—many
JRT’s tend to get cold easy and as result may rush their potty break to
get in out of the cold. The use of a pet sweater may help to prevent
the shortening of outside jaunts, and on your winter walks will more
than aid in keeping the chilly weather out. Don’t push—know
your JRT’s limits. It is best not to push them and try to get them to
do more than they are comfortable with. They will let you know when
they have reached their limit, and it is best to know the signs and
abide by them

As long as you follow the above suggestions and
allow common sense to prevail, your walks with your JRT should be a
pleasurable and enjoyable experience for you both.

10 WAYS TO TELL IF YOUR JRT IS HEALTHY

Spending
time with your companion as you do, it is possible to take it for
granted whether or not your JRT is healthy. However, this is very
important part of being your companion’s caregiver and should be one of
the questions that you think about more often than not. There are
signs, symptoms and subtle tells that will let you know if they are
healthy or if a problem is brewing. A few of them are listed below:

Eating habits JRT’s can be finicky eaters—any JRT
owner can attest to that. However, your companion is usually a big
eater, or is finicky more so than usual there may be cause for concern.
Also, if your JRT has gone of their food or water for more than 24
hours it is definitely time to contact your veterinarian. This is
usually a good indication of a problem.

Full Body Checks Once a month, while
grooming or just loving on your JRT, you should run your hands over
every part of their body. You are checking for any noticeable changes
such as cuts, lumps, growths or displays of discomfort when a certain
area is touch or rubbed.

Changes in their Gait When you and your JRT
are out for a walk, watch and notice how your companion carries
themselves. Do they walk stiff? Drag their toes? Limp? Also, do you
notice more panting than usual or perhaps a cough? If so then there is
definitely a need to see your veterinarian and follow up.

Watch their Weight Obesity and being
overweight can cause a multitude of physical as well as health problems
for your JRT. Although most JRT’s are very active, a lot can have to do
with their environment and their exposure to the chance to exercise.
Make it a priority to keep your JRT on a well-balance, healthy diet, and
if things begin to get out of control it is better to handle them
sooner than later.

Monitor their Potty Habits This is one area
that is helpful in detecting a problem with your JRT. There are several
warning signs to be on the lookout for such as: diarrhea, constipation,
blood or even mucus are the four top warning indicators that may be in
your companions stool. Their urine can be a signal as well if it is
dark, cloudy or contains blood. The key word to remember is that
everything is consistent. If not, then see your veterinarian as soon as
possible.

Check their Teeth As with us, your JRT’s
teeth can tell you a lot about how they are doing health-wise. You
should make it a routine to check your companion’s teeth at least every
month. If you notice any change in their teeth and make sure none are
loose or cracked. Check their breath noting if there is an odor. An
odor can indicate anything from digestive issues to tooth and gum
infection. Finally check their gums as healthy gums should appear pink;
if they appear dark red or dark in general make sure to have them
looked over by a veterinarian.

Look them in the Eyes
Look your JRT directly in the eyes and make sure they are clear and the
pupils are round and even. Also, check for any ingrown eyelashes that
may come to pose a problem, and make there is no excessive discharge or
signs of redness or irritation. If any of these symptoms are visible,
make sure to get them to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

Don’t forget the Nose In most cases your JRT’s
nose should be moist and cool, will be free of visible discharge, no
evidence of sneezing and no sounds of obstructed breathing.

Check out those Feet Make sure when you do our
monthly checks that you include your companions feet in that routing
check. Make sure there are no cuts, scrapes, or sores either on the
pads of the feet or between the toes. Also make sure that your
companions toenails are kept as short as possible as long nails can
cause problems and discomfort. Caution: when trimming the nails make
sure to be extra careful because if they are trimmed too short, you may
hit the quick causing both pain and bleeding.

Lastly, check their Ears
Look in your JRT’s ears and make sure there is no wax build-up or
swelling. Smell them as well, because if there is an infection starting
you will smell it before you see physical signs of it. You may clean
around the outer area of your companion’s ears, but at no time do you
insert anything into the ear canal itself. If you find anything unusual
make sure you see the veterinarian to have it checked out. If you
make sure to do a monthly routine checking these areas, if a problem
were to crop up you will notice it well in advance of it becoming a
major problem. It is all about being diligent and keeping the best
interest of your JRT in mind. A healthy companion is a healthy and long
living companion which is a win-win situation all the way around.